Team/individual accomplishments
Wrestler Kropman wins two medals at Maccabiah World Games
Rising sophomore wrestler Parker Kropman will be heading home from Be’er Sheva, Israel with two medals from the 2017 Maccabiah World Games. Of the 19 overall medals won by Team USA wrestling, Kropman earned silver in 65 kg freestyle, and took bronze at 71 kg in Greco-Roman.
“It’s a pretty significant accomplishment to wear the red, white and blue, representing our country,” head coach Matt Dernlan said. “Not only did Parker do that, but to come away from a major international competition with two medals is a testament to his growth as a wrestler. I’m excited for the opportunity he had and what the experience is going to lead to for future things with him.”
Incoming softball recruit competes at Junior World Championships
The Binghamton softball team returns to campus later this month but one incoming freshman has been busy this summer competing in international tournaments across North America. Sarah Benn is a utility player from Ontario, Canada and this past month, she was part of the Canadian Junior National Team.
The process of making the Canadian Junior National Team began in 2016. Benn attended various regional identification camps in Ontario, which were arranged by Softball Canada. There were also other regional identification campus across the country.
Men’s basketball wins final two games on Canadian Tour
Junior guard J.C. Show scored 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting to spark Binghamton men’s basketball to a 74-61 win over University of Toronto Sunday afternoon at Kerr Hall. The win was BU’s second straight to close out its four-game Canadian Tour.
Show tallied 16 of his points in the first half, when the Bearcats used a big second quarter to forge a double-digit lead. Up by five after the first 10-minute segment, Binghamton nearly doubled Toronto in the second period, putting up 23 points to stake a 43-27 halftime bulge.
Each team registered 11 second-half field goals and BU’s lead was never in jeopardy.
In addition to Show, junior center Thomas Bruce tallied 10 points and senior forward Bobby Ahearn added 10 points and five boards.
Men’s basketball conference schedule released
The 2017-18 America East men’s basketball schedule was released Tuesday and Binghamton will open conference play at home against Maine on Jan. 6, 2018. The 16-game slate features home-and-home games against the eight other league members.
The Bearcats follow up the Maine game with road games at New Hampshire (Jan. 10) and Hartford (Jan. 13) before hosting I-88 rival Albany on Jan. 15. Five of the next eight games will be at the Events Center, highlighted by a matchup against defending champion Vermont on Jan. 31. After a home game against SUNY rival Stony Brook on Feb. 15, the Bearcats will play three of their final four games on road as teams jockey for playoff position. Binghamton winds up the regular season at Albany on Feb. 27.
The league’s top eight teams (of nine) advance to the America East quarterfinals on March 3, played on campus of the four higher-seeded teams. The semifinals (hosted by higher seeds) are slated for March 6 and the championship game will be played at 11 a.m. on March 10. Once again it will be shown live on ESPN2.
Binghamton opens its 15-game non-conference slate on Nov. 10 when the Bearcats host Morgan State.
Men’s basketball announces non-conference slate
Binghamton men’s basketball has finalized its 2017-18 non-conference slate and head coach Tommy Dempsey’s squad will play 15 games before America East action begins.
Highlighting the first semester action will be games at George Mason (Nov. 16) and Evansville (Nov. 18) and two more in Cancun (Nov. 21-22), along with a first-time encounter with Big Ten member Penn State (Dec. 19 at University Park, Pa.).
The Bearcats open the season by hosting Morgan State on Nov. 10 at the Events Center. Before embarking on the four-game, nine-day trip for the Cancun Challenge, BU will continue its rivalry with Cornell on Nov. 13 with this year’s game taking place up in Ithaca.
Women’s basketball schedules released
The Binghamton women’s basketball team has released its 2017-18 schedule, which is highlighted by its first-ever trip to the Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 21-23. In addition, the Bearcats face three non-conference teams that took part in either the NCAA Tournament or WNIT and four squads from the Ivy League, one of the top women’s basketball conferences in the nation.
Now in its 40th year, the Great Alaska Shootout has been held each Thanksgiving Week in Anchorage and has become one of college basketball’s signature men’s and women’s in-season tournaments. The Bearcats open play against Tulsa on Nov. 21 in the first round and square off against either Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES) or Alaska-Anchorage two days later.
Women’s lacrosse announces freshman class
Binghamton women’s lacrosse coach Stephanie Allen has announced the addition of nine players to the 2017-18 Bearcat roster. The recruiting class features several players with impressive high school resumes.
Set to join the Bearcats are Natasha Rahal (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury High School), Samantha Fama (Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculata High School), Alyssa Sanchez (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern High School), Annalisa Genco (Rockville Center, N.Y./St. Anthony’s High School), Paige Volkmann (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches High School), Kelly Quinn (Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville High School), Brianna Distler (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point High School), Aldyn Savage (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon High School), and Jessica Gurrieri (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central High School).